Letter to the Editor: Da Vinci Code

By WILLIAM SHARPCastle Dale

Editor:

With 60 million copies sold and a new motion picture of the same name attracting millions more, Dan Browns book, The Da Vinci Code is evidence that many are hungry for any fable about the Catholic church.

Though many scholars and historians have analyzed the book/movie and stated it is purely a work of fiction with no basis in history this has not stopped Dan Brown and Hollywood from going to great lengths to mislead people into thinking that the novel has a historical basis.

Some might think it's all in fun and no one should get too upset about it, but denying the divinity of Jesus and claiming the church he founded hid crucial parts of his gospel (i.e.that he married a woman, Mary Magdalene, appointed her goddess and leader of his church) is nothing short of heretical blasphemy.

Of course, The Da Vinci Code is not the first work of fiction about the Catholic Church or Jesus. Authors and Hollywood have been pumping out one fiction history after another about the Catholic church for years and as a recent convert who studied real world and Christian history for several years before converting to Catholicism I can see why. What God made simple the devil is always trying to confuse.

For example dozens of Old Testament prophecies with 100 percent accuracy predicted His name would be called Immanuel (God with us) The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, that he would be born of a Virgin, setting up a kingdom which would never end, and suffering and dying for our sins. Simple.

Next the Virgin Mary conceives and is told by an angel "and of his kingdom there shall be no end" Jesus tells his followers that those who have seen him have seen the Father, he sets up his church and prophesies "the gates of hell will not prevail against it", "it will fill the whole earth", he "will be with it always", there will be false prophets and teachers in and out of the church speaking evil of the truth and drawing away disciples after themselves for money etc.

Next Jesus sends his apostles out to make disciples of all nations. Within the first century the church is called 'Catholic' (A Greek word meaning 'universal' a church for all peoples thus differentiating the church from the Jewish church, which was a lineage church.)

Next Peter and Paul are both executed in Rome but not before starting the church there and ordaining numerous leaders with Peter ordaining his successor and clearly establishing the primacy of Rome as the headquarters of the church. Later the oft-maligned Constantine was in real history a great blessing to the Christian church. He saw two visions from God and by nothing short of miraculous means opened up religious freedom for the heavily persecuted Catholic church and gave it a status that led to Christianities rapid expansion across the civilized world.

In 396 A.D. the Catholic church compiled the first book ever called the Bible.

Not until Martin Luther and King Henry the Eighth (1500+ years after Christ) did protestant movements gain real momentum (one reason being the Catholic church had a Christ given responsibility to protect the gospel against heresies from any one "who preached any other gospel".)

Martin Luther originally wanted to reform the church because the church had sinners and corruption in it. Also he wanted to break his vows and marry a nun. King Henry the Eighth's desire to divorce and kill his wife (a desire the Catholic church would not grant him) gave military and political power to the protestant reformation. His later successor, King James translated the King James Version of the Bible from a set of manuscripts; that were compiled by Catholic theologian Erasmus. The unintended results of Luther and Henrys protests was a Protestantism which would divide over the next four centuries into a near infinity of separate churches.

Ever since people have been making their own churches and proclaiming they don't need or want the church clearly, historically started by Christ himself. thus completely fulfilling Christ's predictions of false prophets and teachers drawing away disciples after themselves and causing a falling away from his church.

Why? Rebellion. Browns book has sold 60 million copies because people want to ease their conscience. A little doubt and they can make their own autonomous anything goes type of gospel with divorce, homosexuality, abortion, contraception, experimenting on embryos, euthanasia or trampling on human rights etc. etc. etc.

However, like a rock the Catholic church is not compromising on any of its old ancient morals to get along with the "new morality" and so the attack will continue. Browns book is just another example of the ridiculous lengths evil is willing to go to make good look evil and darkness light.

For those interested in real prophetic history the conclusions are inescapable. Christ's church is exactly what he prophesied it would be and his enemies are denying him and his churchÃ¯Â¿Â½. "Bringing in damnable heresies" just as he said they wouldÃ¯Â¿Â½.